Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 643,090. Patented Feb. 6, mo. H. HAWKINS.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Applicationfiled Sept. 12, 1899.

(No Model.)

O/WAZ INVEN UR.-

W1 NESSES wire STATES PATENT tricnl HENRY HAWKINS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,096, dated February6, 1900.

Application filed september 12, 1899. $erial No. 730,277. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY HAwKINs, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain and Ireland, and a resident of 258 Neville road, Forest Gate,London, in the county of Essex, England, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention is designed to provide an acetylene-gas generatorpossessing novel features by which gas from water and calcium carbid isproduced in proportion to the consumption.

Referring to the drawings, which form part of this specification, Figure1 is a vertical sectional view of an acetylene-gas generator made inaccordance with my invention, and Fig. 2 is a front elevation of same online 0000 of Fig. 1.

I employ two or more generating-chambers, such as J and J, to each ofwhich the watersupply pipe B is connected by means of the cross-pipe K.Cocks K and K on said crosspipe are used to shut off the water-supplyfrom either of the generators not required to be worked. Water forsupplying chamber A is taken from an auxiliary tank L, whichcommunicates therewith by the pipe L. l/Vhile being filled, the air insaid chamber is allowed to escape through the pipe L to tank L. Theauxiliary tank L extends around the upper edge of the compartment R,from one end of the water-chamber A to the other.

M is a gage-glass for ascertaining the height of the water in the tank.

N is a cross-pipe on the end of the watersupply pipe B in eachgenerating-chamber. From this pipe are depended a suitable number ofneedle-tubes E. The water drips from these needle-tubes ontoa revolvingcartridge, which consists of a centrally-pivoted drum 0 and a tubularperforated case 0, between which is alayer about 2. 5 centimeters inthickness of calcium carbid. The water dripping onto one side of thecartridge and saturating the carbid causes the same, through the extraweight of water, to slowly revolve. As the carbid becomes partiallyspent the outside portion squeezes through the perforated case 0 andfalls onto the perforated plate 0 Thus a fresh surface of carbid is indue course presented to the water. After two complete revolutions thecartridge is considered spent and should be recharged, For this purposeit is necessary to shut off the now spent generator by closing thewater-tap K and gas-outlet tap P on the pipes communicating therewith.Then remove the spent cartridge and after clearing out the residuerecharge with calcium carbid and replace in position. In the meantime toavoid any stoppage in the production of gas the other generator shouldbe started working by opening the water and gas taps in connectiontherewith.

As the gas is generated it passes through the pipes P into the receiverQ. This receiver at starting is filled with water, which as the pressureof gas increases is forced through the pipe Q into the compartment Rabove the receiver, so that a constant head of pressure is obtained. Thepressure'in the compartment R corresponds with the pressure of the headof water in the pipe 13. Thus the level of water in the compartment andpipe are equal.

When the pressure of gas is excessive, the level of Water is above thehole D, and therefore no air can enter the chamber. Consequently nowater can enter into the pipe through the hole. As soon, however, as thepressure becomes normal the level of water falls below the hole D in thepipe B and al lows air to enter through sameinto the cham her, theresult being that a proportionate quantity of water enters the pipe andpasses to the generating-chamber.

The height of water in the compartmentR is ascertained by means of thegage-glass R.

The gas-outlet pipe S preferably connects with the dome S, formed in thereceiver Q.

For each generating-chamberl use a safetypipe, so that should agenerator be started and the cock on the gas-outlet pipe be accidentally closed the gas will escape through said safety-pipe. Thisconsists of a pipe T, which leads from the generating-chamber to asuitable height above the top of the apparatus,where it dips into anouter tube T through a box T situated at the upper end thereof. The tubeand also the portion of the pipe T dipping therein are filled with waterup to the level of the said box T The gas under pressure when it has noother outlet forces the water out of the pipe into the tube and thenforces the water out of the tube into the Having now described myinvention, What I claim as new, and desire to 'secu re by LettersPatent, is-

1. In a device of the character described, a closed Water-chamber, afeed-pipe passing therethrough with an opening forming an outlet for thewater-chamber, said feed-pipe being open to the atmosphere at its upperend and having a gooseneck formed at its lower end, a generator intowhich the feedpipe discharges, a receiver connected with the generator,a compartment above the receiver and connected therewith, awater-sealedsafety-pipe leading from the generator to the compartment and a vent-pipe to the compartment, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described, a

Water-chamber, an auxiliary water-tank coinmunicating therewith, afeed-pipe passing through the water-chamber and provided with an openingforming an outlet for said Waterchamber, said feed-pipe being open tothe at-' mosphere at its upper end and having a gooseneck formed at itslower end, a generator into which the feed-pipe discharges, a receivercommunicating with the generator, a coinpartmentlocated above thereceiver and communicatin g therewith, said receiver and compartmentcontaining water, a dome formed in the upper part of the receiver, aservicepipe leading from the dome, a safety-pipe connected to thegenerator at one end, a vertical tube containing water in which theother end of the safety-pipe is submerged, a box formed at the upper endof the tube, a pipe connecting the box with the compartment, a valvedpipe connecting the safety-pipe with the compartment, and a suitablevent to the compartment, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY HAWKINS.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL HENRY HAWKINS, JAMES WYETH.

